Love and Lobster Coastal New England Weddings

Our recent post about liquor laws prompted a question from reader Heather F., who’s trying to sort out what insurance coverage she needs on the big day.

Heather wants to know:

• What would reasonable wedding insurance cost and cover?
• Where can Maine brides look for comprehensive coverage?
• Should brides consider purchasing general wedding insurance? What kind of insurance do couples need to protect them if they plan to purchase and serve their own alcohol?

Here’s the 411:

• For general information about wedding insurance, including what it covers and how much it costs, give this previous post a read.
• Check with the company that handles your renter’s/homeowners insurance first. Even if they don’t offer “wedding insurance,” they may offer special event insurance, or your existing policy may already protect you (more on that in a minute). Heads up: Heather found that Travelers’ Wedding Protector Plan doesn’t cover liquor liability in Maine (state regulators haven’t approved that part of the plan). One alternative is WedSafe, one of the most popular wedding insurance providers, which is offered through Aon, a company with an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. WedSafe does offer liquor liability coverage in Maine.
• Wedding insurance is most appropriate if you’re investing a fair amount of money in your event and if uncontrollable events, like bad weather, would really ruin your day. But don’t assume you need it, especially if you already carry personal insurance, warns Scott Simmonds, a Maine insurance consultant. If you’re mostly concerned about liability — damage or someone getting hurt — your existing homeowner’s or renter’s policy may provide all the coverage you need. “Your homeowner’s insurance doesn’t differentiate between a barbecue at your house and wedding at a rental hall,” Scott says. That includes liquor liability, but be very careful if you choose to purchase and sell liquor at your event, he says. In fact, the liability attached to selling alcohol yourself is so significant that Scott advises couples against it. Let licensed, insured vendors handle charging for the drinks, he says.
• A final tip from Scott: If your insurance agent says your existing policy won’t cover basic liability, and encourages you to buy additional insurance, ask the agent to cite where in your policy that coverage is explicitly denied. Sometimes misinformed or overly cautious agents steer consumers in the wrong, more expensive direction.